Abrams ends run against Kemp in Georgia governor's race

Stacey Abrams said she would not formally concede the race. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Democrat Stacey Abrams announced Friday she was ending her run against Republican Brian Kemp in Georgia's gubernatorial race but declined to give a formal concession.

In a speech before supporters, she said former Secretary of State Kemp will win the race because state law "allows no further viable remedy" in her bid.

Abrams accused Kemp and state Republicans of suppressing the vote in Georgia.

"I acknowledge that former Secretary of State Brian Kemp will be certified as the victor in the 2018 gubernatorial election," she said. "This is not a speech of concession. Because concession means to acknowledge an action that's right, true or proper. As a woman of conscience and faith, I cannot concede that."

The most recent vote counts show Kemp ahead by about 55,000 votes. A vote tally within 17,000 would have forced a runoff in December.

Democrats accused Kemp, who is in charge of the state's elections, of suppressing votes through the cancelation of thousands of voter registrations and long lines on Election Day. The state's so-called "exact match" law put some 50,000 early votes on hold, prompting multiple lawsuits.

"The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward. We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgia's bright and promising future," Kemp said Friday.